100 Day Project – Days 37 and 38

DAY 37 (June 16th, 2017)

Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane

In the Desert

In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, “Is it good, friend?”
“It is bitter—bitter,” he answered;

“But I like it
“Because it is bitter,
“And because it is my heart.”

My Commentary

With what is your heart filled?
Watch your thoughts
ripple across the canvas of the sea.
You and the sea are inextricably bound.

Your steady gaze will quell the tempest,
scatter the clouds like ashes
and lift up the newborn sun …

and the seagulls will dance in the coddling breezes
and cry for your joy.

DAY 38 (June 17th, 2017)

Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane

A Learned Man Came to Me Once

A learned man came to me once.
He said, “I know the way,—come.”
And I was overjoyed at this.
Together we hastened.
Soon, too soon, were we
Where my eyes were useless,
And I knew not the ways of my feet.
I clung to the hand of my friend;
But at last he cried, “I am lost.”

My Commentary

Let your thoughts range far, far,
to the farthest shore.
There you will find a true friend waiting.

He’ll know why you’ve come.


The 100 Day Project

The 100 Day Project

The 100 Day Project is a creativity excavation. It’s about unearthing dormant or unrealized creativity by committing to a daily practice everyday for 100 days.
Creativity is a skill. The more we practice, the more skilled we become. Practice takes time. Practice takes commitment. Practice is a radical act in this speeded up world. Through practice, we develop a creative habit. Through habit, we reconnect with and know ourselves again as a creative being.

I started this 100 Day Project on May 11th. My project is to read a poem, and write at least one first-draft stanza inspired by that poem. I’ll post the results at www.bradseverance.com/category/100-day-project/

Enjoy!

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